How to Build a Chart in a C# RDL Report

When you need to drop a quick, clear chart into an RDLX report, the last thing you want is a complicated setup process. Fortunately, ActiveReports.NET includes streamlined tooling that makes it incredibly fast to build simple visualizations. Whether you’re adding a bar chart for a summary, a pie chart for proportions, or a column chart for comparison, the built-in wizard and intuitive property editors handle most of the details for you. This walkthrough shows the exact steps to get a clean, readable chart on the page in under a minute, perfect for developers who want results without wrestling with the design surface.

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1. Drop in a chart control

Add a chart control to the report surface and pick the chart type you want. Bar, column, pie… whatever fits your data.

2. Walk through the Chart Wizard

The wizard does most of the heavy lifting.

• Choose your data values

• Pick your category groups

• Add series groups if the dataset needs them

Hit Next, then Finish.

3. Add filters if you need them

If the dataset is noisy, select the chart, open Filters, and hit Add. This is an easy way to slice the data without modifying the underlying dataset.

4. Resize the chart

The chart will drop in at its default size, so drag the corners to adjust its width and height to fit the space.

5. Fix long category labels

If your category values run long, select the X-axis and adjust the Label Angle. A slight tilt often keeps labels readable without squeezing the chart.

6. Auto-generate a legend based on data values

Open the Legend settings:

• Select Color under Legend Data

• Set Legend Mode to Data Values

ActiveReports will generate a color legend automatically based on the names of your data values. No manual tweaking required, but you can also set up your own colors if preferred.

7. Preview the report

Run a preview to confirm everything looks right. At this point, you’ll usually have a clean, readable chart built in under 60 seconds!

With just a few guided steps, you can produce a polished visualization in almost no time. ActiveReports.NET handles the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on clarity rather than configuration. Once you preview the report, you’ll see how quickly these lightweight adjustments come together to create a chart that’s both informative and presentation-ready. Whether you’re iterating on a prototype or adding final touches to a production report, this workflow ensures that chart creation remains fast, simple, and dependable.

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